System and approach to manage versioning of field devices in a multi-site enterprise

ABSTRACT

An energy management and control system that may manage versioning firmware for devices. The system may be structured in a hierarchy of enterprise, site and field levels, with one or more computing platforms at the various levels. An enterprise supervisor may detect and obtain new version firmware for the devices at the field level. The new version firmware may be transferred from the supervisor to one or more site controllers. The one or more site controllers may transfer the new version firmware to eligible field devices. The devices may report to their respective site controllers a status of a transfer of the new version hardware. The site controllers may report to the supervisor the status of the transfer. Detection of new version firmware may be automatic. Transfer of the new version firmware to virtually all of the eligible devices may be automatic.

This present application is a Continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/689,551, filed Nov. 29, 2012. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/689,551, filed Nov. 29, 2012, is hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure pertains to management of devices and particularly to versioning the devices. More particularly, the disclosure pertains to management and versioning the devices in a multi-site environment.

SUMMARY

The disclosure reveals an energy management and control system that may manage versioning firmware for devices. The system may be structured in a hierarchy of enterprise, site and field levels, with one or more computing platforms at the various levels. An enterprise supervisor may detect and obtain new version firmware for the devices at the field level. The new version firmware may be transferred from the supervisor to one or more site controllers. The one or more site controllers may transfer the new version firmware to eligible field devices. The devices may report to their respective site controllers a status of a transfer of the new version firmware. The site controllers may report to the supervisor the status of the transfer. Detection of new version firmware may be automatic. Transfer of the new version firmware to virtually all of the eligible devices may be automatic.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a diagram of an energy management and control system hierarchy;

FIG. 2 is a diagram of a relationship between an enterprise supervisor and site-level controllers;

FIG. 3 is a diagram of a field device versioning process flow; and

FIG. 4 is a diagram of another field device versioning process flow.

DESCRIPTION

The present system and approach, as described herein and/or shown in the Figures, may incorporate one or more processors, computers, controllers, user interfaces, wireless and/or wire connections, and/or the like, wherever desired.

An energy management and control system (EMCS) may be a three-tier hierarchy with enterprise, site and field levels. Computing platforms (computers/controllers) at each level may execute applications specific to the functionality required at that level.

At the field level, the EMCS may consist of numerous devices, each of which performs a specific function. These devices might be, for example, simple input/output modules (IOMs), electronic thermostats (ETMs) that control rooftop heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) units, lighting control units (LCUs) that manage a building's interior and exterior lights, and/or other kinds of devices. Additionally, each controller type may be comprised of various models; ETM-1, ETM-2 and ETM-3 might be models of ETMs that are differentiated by unique features and/or functions.

Each field device in an EMCS may contain a program (or firmware) which controls that device's functionality. Virtually all controllers of a particular model, ETM-1s for example, may execute the same version of firmware. As new features and functions are developed, or as bugs are fixed, new firmware versions may be transferred to each controller. Placing another version of firmware in place of firmware in a controller or that of a field device may be regarded as “versioning”.

In the related art, field device versioning may be a manual process. One may manually connect to each site and initiate a firmware update for each field device needing a new version. When a particular model of controller needs to have its firmware updated, the effort of versioning may be complex, costly and time-consuming.

Depending on a building's size, an EMCS might consist of a few or several dozen controllers. While a small footprint building may have only ten ETMs, and a few IOMs and LCUs, a larger building may have thirty ETMs, and a dozen IOMs and LCUs.

As the scale of a multi-site enterprise increases, the number of controllers that should be managed may greatly increase. A single site may have only ten to thirty ETM-1 controllers; however, an enterprise with hundreds of sites may need to manage thousands of ETM-1s. If the enterprise has over a thousand sites, the controller count may be in the tens of thousands.

The present system and approach may manage the task of deploying firmware versions to controllers in a multi-site enterprise. The issues of time, cost and complexity may be addressed by distributing and automating the tasks associated with version management across the enterprise hierarchy.

The tasks, or responsibilities, at the various levels of the hierarchy may be noted in the following. The enterprise supervisor, controller or computer (enterprise) may provide a versioning service which manages the field device versioning process. It may provide a user interface for the versioning service which allows a user to configure, manage and monitor the versioning process. It may provide a query mechanism to determine the field device inventory of each site. The enterprise may have a capability to automatically detect when a firmware file containing a new version of the program for a particular model of field device is placed on the enterprise and may initiate the file transfer process. The enterprise may transfer a firmware file to each site at which at least one compatible device model is installed. The enterprise may receive updates from each site about the progress/status of the transfer process.

The site controller may respond to an enterprise query for the site controller's field device inventory. The site controller may receive a firmware file from the enterprise. The site controller may automatically initiate and manage the process of transferring a firmware file to each compatible field device. The site controller may report the progress/status of the transfer process to the enterprise.

The field device may receive a firmware file from the site controller. The field device may report the progress/status of the transfer process to the site controller.

The enterprise level may be a centralized application which manages and monitors the control system at multiple, remote sites. A site may have one or more site controllers which manage, control, and monitor one or more networks of field devices. The field device may typically be designed to control a piece of EMCS equipment. Other uses may include control of indoor and outdoor lights, control of signage, and more.

The present system and approach may have enhanced functionality at each level of the EMCS. The enterprise may have a versioning service added to an enterprise application. This service may coordinate virtually all activities related to versioning of field devices. The service may provide a user interface which allows the user to configure the service's behavior and monitor versioning activities. A query mechanism may interrogate each site in the enterprise to obtain a field device inventory from each site controller. This inventory may then be available to the user interface allowing the user to view and manage the installed base of field devices. The user may modify versioning behavior at the enterprise, site, site controller, or field device level; for instance, enabling the services ability to automatically detect the presence of a new firmware file and initiate the file transfer process, enabling or disabling the automatic firmware upgrade functionality of one or more specific sites, site controllers, and/or field device types.

A firmware file (firmware) may be saved to a specific subdirectory on the computer's file system. Based on the configuration of the versioning service, the enterprise application may monitor that subdirectory for the presence of a new file. When a new file is detected, the enterprise application may initiate the file transfer process. Alternately, the file transfer process may be initiated manually through the application's user interface.

The firmware file may be parsed to determine the target field device model. Each site in the enterprise may then be scanned, depending on the site-specific configuration, to locate sites at which the particular field device is installed. When a qualifying site is found, the firmware file may be transferred to the appropriate site controller. This transfer process may begin with the enterprise application notifying the site controller with a “start of file transfer” message. Once the site controller acknowledges the message, the enterprise application may transfer the file according to the enterprise-to-site communications protocol.

The enterprise application may execute a monitoring process which receives progress/status updates from the site controllers as the firmware file is being received and the field devices are being updated. The monitoring process may maintain a user interface which displays the current progress and/or status of the firmware upgrade activities.

In conjunction with the field device inventory, the versioning service may maintain a history of upgrade activity for each field device. When the site controller receives a “start of file transfer” message from the enterprise application, the site controller may prepare a location on its local file store (or comparable storage medium) to save the incoming file. The site controller may receive the file according to an enterprise-to-site communications protocol and save the file. As the file is received, the site controller may update the enterprise application with progress and/or status information.

At the end of the file transfer, the site controller may parse the firmware file to determine the target field device model. The site controller may then scan its device network or networks to locate compatible field devices. When a qualifying field device is found, the site controller may flag that device as needing a firmware upgrade.

The site controller may use a polling mechanism to schedule communications with its one or more networks of field devices. As each device gets a turn, the polling task may check if the device has been flagged for a firmware upgrade. Following the site controller-to-field device communications protocol, the firmware file may be transmitted to the field device. During the upgrade process, the site controller may receive progress and/or status updates from the field device and communicate those updates to the enterprise application.

When a field device receives a “start of firmware upgrade” message from the site controller, the device may prepare, according to its device specification, for a firmware upgrade.

The device may receive and process the new program according to its device specification; these details may incorporate where and/or how the new version is saved during the upgrade and the mechanism for replacing the current application with the new version. As the firmware upgrade process occurs, the device may update the site controller with progress/status information.

FIG. 1 is a diagram of the energy management and control system hierarchy with example sites. An enterprise supervisor 12 may be connected with a number (n) of sites 13, 14 and 15. Although three sites are shown, there may be more or fewer sites. Site 13 may have one or more site-level controllers or site supervisors 16, connected with enterprise supervisor 12, and one or more field devices 17 connected with a site controller 16. As examples, site 13, 14, and 15 may be in San Francisco, San Antonio and Cleveland, respectively. Sites 14 and 15 may have the same structure and items as site 13.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of enterprise supervisor 12 and its site-level controllers 16. The blocks within the block representing enterprise supervisor 12 may indicate a versioning service 40, an enterprise data model, a web server, alarm management, history management and batch services. There may be additional blocks indicating other items relative to enterprise supervisor 12.

A block representing each site level controller 16 may contain blocks indicating a versioning service 50, site data model, a web server, alarm management, history management, and device control and demand response strategies. There may be additional blocks indicating other items relative to site level controller 16.

FIG. 3 is a diagram 30 representing an example of a field device versioning process flow along with components of the energy management and control system. Enterprise supervisor 12 and site controller 16 may incorporate a versioning service 40 and 50, respectively. Components of versioning service 40 of supervisor 12 may incorporate a versioning service user interface 21, a query engine 22, a versioning job processor 23 and a file transfer engine 24.

Components of versioning service 50 of site controller 16 may incorporate a query engine 32, a versioning job processor 33, a file transfer engine 34 and a file transfer manager 35. Site controller 16 may also incorporate a communication engine 36.

An enterprise manager 41 may provide direction and information to user interface 21. For instance, manager 41 may load a new version firmware file via a user interface. The firmware is an example file. Another file or information may be loaded. Manager 41 may configure and initiate a version deployment job. Supervisor 12 may query a site 13, 14 or 15 for a device 17 inventory. For illustrative purposes, site 13 may be considered as an example. The query may be via a connection 38 between query engines 22 and 32. Versioning job processor 23 of supervisor 12 may initiate a firmware file transfer from supervisor 12 to site 13 via a connection 39 between job processor 23 and file transfer engine 24. Versioning service 40 of supervisor 12 may update the versioning service 50 of site 13 with versioning job details along a connection 42 between versioning job processor 23 of supervisor 12 and versioning job processor 33 of site controller 16. The firmware file may be transferred from supervisor 12 to site 13 via a connection 43 between file transfer engine 24 and file transfer engine 34. Site 13 may receive the firmware file at file transfer engine 34 and save the firmware file to a local file store. Site 13 may update supervisor 12 with firmware file transfer status via connection 43.

Versioning job processor 33 at site 13 may update file transfer manager 35 with needed transfer tasks via a connection 44 between versioning job processor 33 and file transfer manager 35. File transfer manager 35 may interact with file transfer engine 34 via a connection 45 to download the firmware file to the appropriate devices 17 via a connection 47 from a communication engine 36. Communication engine 36 may incorporate protocol stacks, encode/decode logic, and so forth. The one or more field devices 17 may receive the firmware file and report a status to site controller 16 via connection 47 between communication engine 36 and the one or more field devices 17.

File transfer manager 35 may update versioning job processor 33 of site 13 via connection 44 with a current status of the firmware file transfer operations. Versioning service 50 of site 13 may update versioning service 40 of supervisor 12 with a versioning job status via connection 42 between versioning job processor 33 and versioning job processor 23. Job processor 23 of supervisor 12 may update a versioning history log with the versioning job status. Enterprise manager 41 may monitor progress and status of the deployment job of the firmware file via the versioning service user interface 21 of supervisor 12.

FIG. 4 is a diagram 60 representing another example of a field device versioning process flow along with components of the energy management and control system. Diagram 60 may differ from diagram 30 of FIG. 3 relative to a flow process. The components may be similar or the same among the diagrams. To start, enterprise manager 41 may configure an “automated job” of versioning service 40 of supervisor 12 via user interface 21. Manager 41 may specify the enterprise, site, site controller and field device behavior also via interface 21. Manager 41 may enable an “auto-detect” of a firmware file. Supervisor 12 may query site 13 for a field device 17 inventory via query engines 22 and 32 with connection 38. Manager 41 may load a new version firmware file via interface 21. Versioning service 40 of supervisor 12 may auto-detect a new firmware file and launch a versioning job. From here on, the flow process and structure of diagram 60 may appear similar to that of diagram 30.

To recap, an energy management and control system may incorporate a supervisor controller having a first versioning service component, one or more site controllers, having a second versioning service component, connected to the supervisor controller, and one or more field devices, having firmware, connected to the one or more site controllers. The first versioning service component may have a configuration that enables automatic detection by the supervisor controller of new version firmware. A query may be made by the first versioning service component to the second versioning service component for an inventory of the one or more field devices to determine which field devices, if any, are appropriate for receipt of the new version firmware. The first versioning service component may launch a versioning job process and transfer the new version firmware to the second versioning service component to continue the versioning job process. The versioning job process may incorporate installing the new version firmware in the one or more field devices determined as appropriate for receipt of the new version firmware.

The first versioning component may incorporate a user interface. A user may provide, via the user interface, the configuration to the first versioning service component that enables automatic detection by the supervisor controller of the new version firmware.

A field device appropriate for receipt of the new version firmware may have a present version firmware which is upgradeable or replaceable with the new version firmware. The field device, appropriate for receipt of the new version firmware, may report to a site controller a status of a transfer of the new version firmware.

A site controller may report a status of transfer operations of the new version firmware to the first versioning service component so that a user can monitor the status and progress of the transfer operations via the user interface.

When the first versioning service component launches the versioning job process and transfers the new version firmware to the second versioning service component to continue the versioning job process, the job process may automatically continue until virtually all of the one or more field devices determined as appropriate for receipt of the new version firmware, have been installed with the new version firmware unless interrupted by a user via a user interface to the system.

An energy management and control system having a mechanism for versioning firmware of field devices, may incorporate an enterprise supervisor, one or more site controllers connected to the enterprise supervisor, and one or more field devices connected to the one or more site controllers. The one or more field devices may incorporate firmware that controls an operation of the one or more field devices, respectively.

The enterprise supervisor may detect new version firmware for one or more field devices. The enterprise supervisor may query the one or more site controllers for an inventory of appropriate field devices qualified to receive the new version firmware. Upon a launch initiated by a user, the enterprise supervisor may transfer the new version firmware to the one or more site controllers. The new version firmware may be transferred by the one or more site controllers to virtually all of the appropriate field devices. A transfer of the new version firmware may replace or upgrade the firmware in the appropriate field devices.

The enterprise supervisor may incorporate a versioning service that detects the new version firmware. The versioning service may provide information about receipt and transfer of new version software to a versioning history log.

The one or more site controllers may update the enterprise supervisor with a status of a transfer of the new version firmware.

Upon transfer the new version firmware to the one or more site controllers, the new version firmware may then be automatically transferred to the appropriate field devices.

An energy management and control system may incorporate a supervisor having a first versioning service component, at least one site controller, connected to the supervisor, having a second versioning service component, and one or more field devices connected to the at least one site controller.

The first versioning service component may be loaded with new version firmware. The new version firmware may be transferred by the first versioning service component to the second versioning service component. The second versioning service component may transfer the new version firmware to replace or upgrade firmware in the one or more field devices.

The first versioning service component may incorporate a user interface, a first query engine, a first file transfer engine, and a first versioning job processor connected to the first file transfer engine.

The second versioning service component may incorporate a second query engine connected to the first query engine, a second file transfer engine connected to the first file transfer engine, a second versioning job processor connected to the first versioning job processor, and a file transfer manager connected to the second versioning job processor and the second file transfer engine.

The second file transfer engine may receive the new version firmware and save the new version firmware to a file store. The file transfer manager may download the new version firmware from the second file transfer engine and/or the file store, and download the new version firmware to an appropriate field device or field devices of the one or more field devices. The second versioning job processor may update the file transfer manager about transfer tasks.

The second query engine may respond to one or more queries from the first query engine regarding an inventory of the one or more field devices to determine the appropriate field device or field devices. An appropriate field device may be a device that has a present version firmware that is replaceable or upgradeable with the new version firmware.

The file transfer manager may further update the second versioning job processor with a current status of transfer operations of the new version firmware to the appropriate field device or field devices.

The site controller may incorporate a communication engine that receives the new version firmware from the second transfer engine and transfers the new version firmware to the appropriate field device or field devices. The one or more field devices may report a new version firmware status to the site controller via the communication engine.

The one or more field devices may incorporate input/output modules, electronic thermostats, and/or lighting control units. The one or more field devices may incorporate one or more model types. Firmware for one model type may be different than firmware for another model type. The new version firmware may be an acceptable version for firmware of just one model type of field devices.

A user interface may permit a user to load the new version firmware, configure and initiate a deployment job for the new version firmware, and monitor the deployment job. The first versioning job processor may initiate a transfer of the new version firmware from the supervisor to the at least one site controller, and update a history log of a versioning job status.

In the present specification, some of the matter may be of a hypothetical or prophetic nature although stated in another manner or tense.

Although the present system and/or approach has been described with respect to at least one illustrative example, many variations and modifications will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the specification. It is therefore the intention that the appended claims be interpreted as broadly as possible in view of the related art to include all such variations and modifications. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An energy management and control system comprising: a supervisor controller; one or more site controllers connected to the supervisor controller; and one or more field devices, each having firmware, connected to at least one of the one or more site controllers; and wherein: the supervisor controller is configured to automatically initiate and manage transfer of a new version firmware to the one or more compatible field devices; the supervisor controller is configured to transfer the new version firmware to the one or more site controllers; and the one or more site controllers are configured to automatically initiate and manage transfer of the new version firmware to the one or more field devices.
 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the supervisor controller is configured to query the one or more site controllers for an inventor of the one or more field devices to determine which field devices, if any, are appropriate for receipt of the new version firmware.
 3. The system of claim 2, wherein a field device appropriate for receipt of the new version firmware has a present version firmware which is upgradeable or replaceable with the new version firmware.
 4. The system of claim 2, wherein the field device, appropriate for receipt of the new version firmware, reports to a site controller a status of a transfer of the new version firmware.
 5. The system of claim 2, wherein a site controller reports a status of transfer operations of the new version firmware to the supervisor controller so that a user can monitor the status and progress of the transfer operations via the user interface.
 6. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more site controllers are located at one or more locations removed from the supervisor controller.
 7. The system of claim 2, wherein the site controller is configured to transfer the new version firmware to the one or more site controllers until virtually all of the one or more field devices determined as appropriate for receipt of the new version firmware, have been installed with the new version firmware unless interrupted by a user via a user interface to the system.
 8. The system of claim 1, wherein a user interface permits a user to load the new version firmware, configure and initiate a deployment job for the new version firmware, and monitor the deployment job.
 9. An energy management and control system, comprising: an enterprise supervisor controller including a user interface, the user interface configured to allow a user to configure and monitor a versioning process; one or more site controllers connected to the enterprise supervisor, the one or more site controller positioned at a remote location from the enterprise supervisor; and one or more field devices connected to the one or more site controllers; and wherein: the one or more field devices comprise firmware that controls an operation of the one or more field devices, respectively; the enterprise supervisor controller is configured to automatically detect new version firmware for the one or more field devices; the enterprise supervisor controller is configured to transfer the new version firmware to the one or more site controllers upon user initiation; and the new version firmware is transferred by the one or more site controllers to virtually all of the appropriate field devices.
 10. The system of claim 9, wherein a transfer of the new version firmware replaces or upgrades the firmware in the appropriate field devices.
 11. The system of claim 9, wherein the enterprise supervisor controller queries the one or more site controllers for an inventory of appropriate field devices qualified to receive the new version firmware.
 12. The system of claim 9, wherein the one or more site controllers update the enterprise supervisor controller with a status of a transfer of the new version firmware.
 13. The system of claim 9, wherein upon transfer of the new version firmware to the one or more site controllers from the enterprise supervisor controller, the new version firmware is then automatically transferred to the appropriate field devices.
 14. An energy management and control system comprising: an enterprise supervisor having a first versioning service component; at least one site controller connected to the enterprise supervisor, the at least one site controller having a second versioning service component; and one or more field devices connected to the at least one site controller; and wherein: when the first versioning service component detects new version firmware, the first versioning service component configured to automatically initiate and manage transfer of the new version firmware to the second versioning service component; and the second versioning service component transfers the new version firmware to replace or upgrade firmware in the one or more field devices and updates the enterprise supervisor with a status of a transfer of the new version firmware.
 15. The system of claim 14, wherein the first versioning service is configured to provide information about receipt and transfer of new version software to a versioning history log.
 16. The system of claim 14, wherein the first versioning service component comprises: a user interface; a first query engine; a first file transfer engine; and a first versioning job processor connected to the first file transfer engine.
 17. The system of claim 16, wherein the second versioning service component comprises: a second query engine connected to the first query engine; a second file transfer engine connected to the first file transfer engine; a second versioning job processor connected to the first versioning job processor; and a file transfer manager connected to the second versioning job processor and the second file transfer engine.
 18. The system of claim 14, wherein a query is made by the first versioning service component to the second versioning service component for an inventory of the one or more field devices to determine which field devices, if any, are appropriate for receipt of the new version firmware.
 19. The system of claim 14, wherein: the one or more field devices comprise input/output modules, electronic thermostats, and/or lighting control units; the one or more field devices comprise one or more model types; firmware for one model type can be different than firmware for another model type; and the new version firmware can be an acceptable version for firmware of just one model type of field devices.
 20. The system of claim 14, wherein a user interface permits a user to load the new version firmware, configure and initiate a deployment job for the new version firmware, and monitor the deployment job. 